Who this is for

Outrigger, prone paddling, SUP, long-distance crossings, lifeguard shifts — anyone putting in real hours on the water. This program is for paddlers and watermen dealing with shoulder wear, low back tightness from repeated rotation, wrist soreness, or the kind of general fatigue that comes from a body that’s been asked to do the same motion thousands of times.

What usually goes wrong

  • Shoulders — the most common complaint. High-volume, repetitive strokes wear on the rotator cuff and surrounding structures.
  • Low back — repeated rotation and the seated or kneeling paddling position load the low back over long sessions.
  • Wrists — grip and catch mechanics can irritate the tendons on the top and side of the wrist.
  • Ribs and the side of the trunk — paddlers sometimes feel this area after a heavy training block; anything sharp or point-tender after a specific stroke or fall is worth having checked rather than pushed through.
  • Watermen and lifeguards — occupational shoulder, low back and knee strain from ocean work, rescues and long shifts. If it’s work-related, ask us about workers’ comp paperwork.

How we work

Hands-on manual therapy and joint mobilization, soft-tissue work, and therapeutic exercise built around your stroke and your boat or board — rotation, shoulder endurance, grip and wrist tolerance. You leave with a home program built for the volume you’re actually training at.

What a plan looks like

Timelines depend on how irritated things are and how much you’re training, so we don’t promise a fixed number of visits up front. Generally: calm the area down while keeping you paddling where possible, rebuild strength and rotational capacity, then load back up toward full training and race volume.

Canoe season prep

Regatta and distance seasons ask a lot of the shoulder and trunk in a short ramp-up. Coming in before the season, not after a shoulder starts barking mid-practice, is the better move.

When to see a doctor first

Some things need a doctor before they need PT. Get checked, or get to an ER, if you have:

  • Any head or neck impact — a hit from a canoe, board or paddle, or a hold-down
  • A shoulder you can’t lift, or one that gives way on you
  • Numbness, weakness or tingling running down an arm
  • Chest pain or breathlessness that comes on when you exert yourself
  • Sharp, point-tender rib pain after a heavy stroke, a fall or a wipeout

When to book

Book if a shoulder, back or wrist has been nagging through practice, if you’re ramping up training volume before a race or regatta, or if ocean work has you dealing with recurring strain. No referral is required to start — see our insurance page for what your plan may still ask for.

Long hours on the water shouldn’t cost you your shoulders. Book an evaluation and let’s keep you paddling.